Idris Elba says James Bond role reaction from some people is ‘disgusting and off-putting’

Idris Elba says he was never in the running to be James Bond, but the reaction from some people had put him off the hype.

The Luther star confirmed he had not officially been in the race to replace Daniel Craig as the big screen secret agent, despite being the odds-on favourite for the role. Elba, 53, shared that while it was a “huge compliment” to be weighed up alongside the likes of Riz Ahmed and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the potential next 007, he did not feel the reaction of some people was warranted. Speaking to People Magazine, The Suicide Squad star shared his thoughts on the reaction to his name being thrown into the ring for the coveted big-screen role.

He said: “My name’s not getting thrown out, no way. I wish them all the luck of the world. I can’t wait – it’s going to be amazing. [But] I’m honestly not in the race ever. I wasn’t in the race in the first place. Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting, because it became about race. It became about nonsense, and I got the brunt of it.”

Elba is not the first high-profile name to have spoken out about being linked with the role, as Liam Neeson found himself choosing between family life and feature films when he was linked with the role in the 1990s. Natasha Richardson, Neeson’s at-the-time girlfriend, had worried the star would see him work with “gorgeous girls in various countries getting in and out of [Bond’s] bed. He told The Times: “I’ll call up my agent and say, ‘Do they know what age I am?’

“People say I do my own stunts. I do not. But look, the dollar amount is very pleasing. And I’m not getting any younger.” It’s not the first time a star linked with James Bond has turned down a role which could have gotten them acclaim beyond what they already have. Sean Connery would famously turn down The Silence of the Lambs as he found the film “disgusting”.

Director Jonathan Demme told Deadline that [Sean] Connery was the “only other person” aside from Hopkins they had in mind for the role. He said: “Sean Connery was the only other person I thought could be amazing for this. Connery has that fierce intelligence and also that serious physicality. I love Tony Hopkins, but Sean Connery could be amazing.”

There was also a practical reason for hiring Connery, who was still a sought-after star, especially in the years after bagging himself an Oscar. Demme confirmed it made sense for the film to “take the most commercial path, because Connery was flying very high at the time, we sent the script to Sean Connery first.”

But it was a firm no from Connery, who aired his disgust at the project. “Word came back shortly that he thought it was disgusting and wouldn’t dream of playing the part,” Demme said. “So, great, now we can go to Tony Hopkins.”